With solid fuel burning remaining in demand for home heating in rural and off-grid settings, Bruce Allen of HETAS and Woodsure offers guidance for more eco-friendly choices, while cautioning on the importance of maintenance
Solid fuel burning is undoubtedly high on the agenda when it comes to discussions on air pollution and indoor air quality, and rightly so. Poor burning practices have an impact on the air around us, and as we all breathe the same air, every individual’s actions count, no matter how small.
The UK Government has made it clear that there are currently no plans to implement a ban on domestic burning in the near future. While this is comforting news for those reliant on solid fuel, it doesn’t mean that stove owners need not take action.
While the ban is currently not on the cards for solid fuel burning, the government has been engaging in research on the topic heavily in the past year. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 clearly laid out legally binding actions, targets and commitments to drive down emissions and improve air quality in the home. They were as follows:
- An Annual Mean Concentration Target for PM2.5 levels in England to be 10 µg m-3 or below by 2040, with a new interim target of 12 µg/m3 by the end of January 2028.
- A Population Exposure Reduction Target for a reduction in PM2.5 population exposure of 35% compared to 2018 is to be achieved by 2040, with a new interim target to reduce by 22%
by the end of January 2028.
The main way self-builders, homeowners and installers alike can help targets such as these be achieved, and improve air quality for us all is through their choice of fuel and appliance. So what actions can homeowners take?
MAKE THE CLEANER CHOICE
Last year we launched our independent Cleaner Choice Scheme for UK biomass and solid fuel appliances. The Cleaner Choice appliance scheme offers a simple way to choose solid fuel, wood, or biomass appliances that are even cleaner to operate than current regulations require. In fact, appliances can only be approved if they beat current emissions requirements for Defra exemption by at least 50% ensuring environmentally responsible, and cleaner use.
Choosing appliances that are certified by the scheme will ensure that all legal requirements are met, but considerations surrounding the choice of fuel itself also need to be taken into account. Appliance users must be making choices to buy the right smokeless fuels and dry Ready to Burn wood fuel.
GET READY TO BURN
The Ready to Burn scheme ensures that it is easy for people to find the cleanest fuels for use in their homes, and stay in compliance with Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 that outlawed the sale of wet wood and house coal. Stove users can find the Ready to Burn mark for safer, cleaner domestic burning.
DON’T FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR STOVE MAINTENANCE
Maintenance is a key part of stove ownership that can help promote a greener lifestyle and an eco-friendly way of living. Keeping on top of annual services for solid fuel appliances is integral to their safe and efficient running.
We recommend that chimney sweeping is performed by an accredited company at least once a year, potentially more depending on the appliance and fuel being used. Choosing a sweep registered on the scheme means that owners can be confident that the sweep has obtained the necessary training to safely perform the task, and they will receive full proof and documentation following a successful sweep.
Our mission is to support cleaner and safer choices for the use of biomass and other solid fuels, appliances and associated technologies. I hope that with further education and knowledge sharing, we can preserve solid fuel burning for those who rely on it in rural and off-grid locations, without further harming the environment and the air we all breathe.
Bruce Allen is chief executive officer at HETAS and Woodsure